The Beginnings of a Hunter
by Alex-Lydia-Lee
Summary: Lydia is orphaned and homeless from a pair of werewolves who kill her brother and Mom. Sam and Dean take care of the monsters and try to give her a normal life, but things just don't end up that way.
1. Chapter 1

"KEEP RUNNING LYDIA!" Gasped the man beside Lydia. "DON'T STOP!" She could hear his pleads over the roaring sound of her own heart pumping. Her heart felt as if it would burst from her chest.

"I," gasp, "can't." Gasp. She was clutching the stitch in her side.

They had been running for about five minutes, trying to evade their pursuers.

"Yes you can!" He told her. "Just keep going!" He was beginning to pull away from her.

"Dominic, please." She was breathing hard and she had slowed to a painful jog. Dominic grabbed her arm and started to drag her along at top speed. Lydia could barely hear the crashing sounds of their pursuers gaining on them through the rushing sounds in her ears.

They continued like this for another minute or so when she ran face first into a thin tree that was nearly invisible in the dark light. She fell onto her butt and clutched her throbbing head. She was to stunned to protest when Dominic grabbed her hand and started to run again.

"Wait Dominic." She said. "I can't see straight." He ignored her. "Please." She tried to wrench her hand out of his, but wasn't successful.

"You're fine. We need to keep going."

"It's just a game Dominic. We don't have to win." She freed her hand from his and plopped down on the ground. Her head spun and her vision was blurry.

"What's wrong? Why'd you guys stop?" Asked a rapidly approaching voice. It was a guy with gold hair and brown eyes.

"She just stopped! She won't go any farther!" Dominic yelled at him.

"I can't breathe and I ran into a tree really hard. He wouldn't let me stop, Deric." She told him. Another voice came up to them.

"What're we doing?" Lydia got up and went over to him. She grabbed hold of him and buried her head in his shirt. "What's wrong Tea?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"She just ran into a tree she's fine." Dominic interjected.

"No." She protested. "I hit the tree really hard, and then he made me keep running. I told him it was just a game Oliver, but he just kept going." Oliver held her close.

"Why didn't you let her stop?" Deric asked.

"None of your business! This is stupid. So she has a bump on her head?" The night sky had been cloudy up until this point, but now the big, full moon was beginning to pop out.

"She might have a concussion, dude. We need to get her checked out. I'm gonna bring her back." Oliver said. Dominic rounded on him.

"We're not going anywhere." Oliver just shook his head and began to lead Lydia out of the woods. They hadn't even got a few paces away when Dominic yanked Oliver back and onto the ground. He jumped onto his chest and pinned his arms down with his knees.

The full moon showed through the loosely placed trees and illuminated the horror scene unfolding. Dominic's fingers grew into long claws, and his teeth formed into dog's canines. He dragged one of his clawed fingers down Oliver's chest, splitting open his skin.

"AHHHHH!" Oliver screamed as Dominic repeated this maneuver, cutting deeper into his chest. Lydia had been knocked to the ground, and now that she was back up, she went to help Oliver.

"Ollie!" She tried to pull Dominic off of him, but only managed to get knocked away. "Get off of him!" She yelled. She grabbed a big branch and hit him over the head so hard, he crumpled to the ground. She helped Oliver up and looked around for Deric.

We found him a few yards away, stumbling with his phone.

"We have to get out of here." They told him. He seemed confused, but did as they said.

It took them about five minutes to find the edge of the woods. They had emerged in the parking lot of the Supermart where Oliver's jeep was parked.

"I told you, you weren't going anywhere." Growled a voice behind them. They turned to see Dominic with a huge welt on his head that was shrinking. But they didn't focus on that. The thing that caught their attention the most, was the bright gold eyes that replaced his brown ones.

He lunged at them, his sharp teeth barred. Oliver and Lydia got out of the way, but Deric wasn't as lucky. Dominic grabbed hold of a tuff of his hair and dragged him back into the woods, kicking and screaming. Lydia tried to run after them and help, but Oliver held her back.

"We need to help them!" She told him.

"No. What we need to do is get help." He dragged her over to the car and they were gone.

Within five minutes they were in the police station explaining what happened to the desk officer.

"But I'm not lying! He really did attack us!" Lydia said.

"I ain't saying that he didn't. I just don't believe that he grew fangs and tried to eat yer brother here." He was a plump guy who had been dozing then Lydia and her brother had burst into the station, almost hysterical.

"But he did. His fingernails grew really long and his teeth got really long. He tried to cut me open!" Oliver had lifted his teared shirt to show the cut that was still bleeding.

"That's enough. I ain't got time for yer stories." He got out of his chair. "I'll go get a doctor fer you two. Don't move." He left the two of them there. Another officer, a lot younger approached them.

"Have you two heard the news?" He asked. They shook their heads. "There's been another animal attack. Apparently some lady died a few hours ago. Her heart was torn from her chest." A lady cop came over and smacked him over the head.

"What've I told ya about scaren people?" She asked. She smiled at them. "You need any help?"

"No. Someone's getting us checked out." Oliver told her. She looked them up and down.

"You two look shaken up. You alright?" They shook their heads. "You wanna just stay here tonight?" They nodded. Just then the plump guy came back with a nurse. They lead them to an empty cell, treated them and locked them in for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a deep rumbling sound of an engine as an old Chevrolet Impala pulled up to the police station. It was eight thirty, the morning after Lydia and Oliver's attack.

"Mornin," Greeted an officer as two men stepped out of the car.

"Morning. Officer Green and Rosa, we're here about the recent deaths in the area." Both of the men pulled out FBI badges and showed them to the cop.

"I see. I reckon you wanna see the files?" He put out the cigarett he was smoking.

"You would be correct." Answered Agent Rosa, the taller of the two men.

"Right. This way then." he cop lead the agents into the station. "You'll have ta go through the cell area to get to the file room, I'm afraid."

"That's just fine." Agent Rosa reassured him. The three of them made their way through the cells, but Agent Green stopped at a cell with two teenagers in it.

"You two go on a head." he told them. "What're you in for?" He asked the kids sitting on the floor.

"Nothing." The boy said. "We just stayed the night." The boy stood up. He was almost as tall as the six-foot two agent.

"Why would you willingly stay overnight in a police station?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Retorted the girl. She looked exactly like the boy, tall, blonde and covered in twigs and blood. The girl had a huge knot on her head, and the boy had a long bandage on his chest.

"Try me." Agent Green said. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door. The two of them shook their heads.

"Our friend attacked us last night. He took Deric." The boy said. His voice was beginning to waver.

"Where did this happen?" Agent Green asked.

"In the woods behind the SuperMart." She stood up.

"Did your friend do this?" He gestured to the boy's chest.

"Yeah. He tried to cut me open." The boy looked away.

"Did he have long fingernails, sharp teeth, maybe bright eyes?" The Agent asked them. The boy and girl exchanged a startled look.

"How did you know?" The boy asked. The Agent nodded and sighed.

"How about you come with my partner and I and show us where you were attacked?" The kids nodded in agreement. "Stay here for a moment and I'll get you out of here." He went to walk away, but Agent Rosa and the Cop walked by. "Hey, could you let these two out?"

"Sure." The cop opened the door and the kids walked out. "I see you've met the one of the town's troublemakers and her brother." He said.

"Trouble maker huh?" Agent Green repeated, looking at the girl. She blushed

"I wouldn't say trouble maker, but maybe, creative artist." The officer laughed.

"Lydia here's real creative. Remember when ya made those new changes to the marching band uniforms?" Lydia blushed harder.

"Yes, I do John. But maybe that doesn't need to be discussed in detail right now." Lydia said. Agent Rosa looked at his partner then at John.

"Now that I have the files, how about we go see the bodies?" John nodded and lead them away.

Lydia and the boy followed the group of grownups out of the station to the morgue next door. John made the kids wait outside, then left. Lydia and the boy crept into the morgue when no one was looking. They found Agent Green opening one of the coolers and pulled out a body bag.

"Number twenty-two. Uh, this is Kimmy Sanders." Said Agent Rosa, looking through the file. "Thirty-three years old, a hundred and twenty pounds, and height five two."

"Bet there's no heart." Agent Green said before opening the bag. Agent Rosa looked through the file before agreeing. They opened up the bag and there was a long row of stitches on the woman's chest.

"How'd you know?" He asked.

"Those kids back there were attacked. One of their friends tried to cut open the boy's chest. He had long fingernails, sharp teeth and gold eyes." He pulled out another body bag from another cooler.

"Mike Donahew. Age twenty-one, two hundred pounds, Five eleven. No heart." They checked the bag and nodded to each other.

"One more. Alex Treaty, age thirty-" There was a gasp from behind a counter. The kids were huddled there trying to go unnoticed. Agent Green went over and found them.

"What're you two doing here? What's wrong?" He looked at Lydia who had a stream of silent tears running down her face.

"A-Alex? Alex Treaty? Age thirty, five foot seven?" More tears ran down her face as Agent Rosa came over.

"Yeah, did you know her?" Lydia broke down and her face fell into her hands. The boy next to her had a horrific expression on his face.

"She was our mom." He said. The Agents exchanged looks.

"Where's your dad?" Agent Rosa asked.

"Don't have one." Lydia answered. She was wiping her face on her shirt. "Oliver and I only had Mom. We don't have any other family." The Agents walked off to a corner to talk.

"What are we gonna do Dean?" Agent Rosa asked. Dean sighed.

"Sam, we don't need to do anything. They aren't our kids." Sam shook his head.

"That's not the point Dean and you know it. They lost their only family to a werewolf."

"The werewolf was one of their friends I think."

"That's even worse!" Sam ran a hand through his long hair. "We can't just leave them out of this. There whole life was ruined by a werewolf." Lydia and Oliver had been listening to the conversation between Sam and Dean.

"I don't think they're Agents." Lydia told him.

"Why not?" They were sitting in chairs at one of the operation tables.

"They're talking about werewolves! They said Dominic was one!" Just then Sam and Dean came over. They looked at Lydia and Oliver.

"How old are you two?" Sam asked.

"We're both seventeen." Lydia answered. "Who are you two?" They looked alarm.

"What do you mean? I'm Agent Green, and this is-" Sam tried to explain.

"No. You are Sam, and this is Dean." She pointed to him. "You two aren't Agents. Who are you really?" Dean looked to Sam.

"It's your turn to tell them." Dean said. Sam sighed.

"My name is Sam Winchester. This is Dean, my brother. We aren't FBI Agents, we're hunters. We hunt monsters." Lydia and Oliver nodded slowly, taking in the information.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"There were reports of several animal attacks in the area, and we came to see what it really was." Dean answered.

"Are you sure it's Dominic, our friend?" Dean sighed.

"We're pretty sure, yeah." Dean had a gruff voice. It was full of pain, but right now, it seemed so full to the brink that Lydia was afraid he might burst into tears.

"Is there any way we could help?" She asked. "I can't just do nothing when he took our mom away from us."

"It's not something a kid can do." Dean said.

"We were hunting monsters on our own at seventeen, Dean." Sam interjected.

"Fine. But you have to promise to stay out of our way. This is dangerous work." Lydia nodded. Oliver had walked away and was staring at the black bag his mom was in. Dean walked over to him while Sam explained things to Lydia. "You okay kid?"

"No. I'm not." Dean chuckled.

"I know the feeling." Oliver rounded on him.

"You know what it's like to lose your mom to a monster?"

"Yeah actually. My mom was killed by a demon when I was four. My dad was killed by the same one about ten years ago." Dean choked a little as he talked. Oliver's features softened.

"I'm-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean,"

"It's no problem. It's fine. My mom actually Isn't dead. Anymore that is."

"Wait, what?" Oliver said.


	3. Chapter 3

The night breeze rustled the early October trees, making a shower of golden leaves fall down around the small group walking through the woods. The full moon shown bright above them as they darted their eyes this way and that, looking for their target.

Dean had told Lydia and Oliver how to kill most monsters. Salt and burn the bones for a Ghost, or salt and iron to dissipate it. Cut off the head of a Vampire, and dead man's blood to weaken it. Silver to the heart for a Werewolf.

"We're almost there." Lydia announced as they approached the spot where her and her brother were attacked the night before. She was playing with a necklace that was around her neck. It was a sterling silver cross strung with a leather cord. Just then a growl came from the right of the group. Sam and Dean whirled around, guns aimed at the source of the noise.

"Who're your new friends Tea?" Dominic stepped out from behind a tree. His golden eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"You're worst nightmare, kid." Dean said, aiming his loaded gun at his face. Dominic laughed.

"What do you think you're gonna do with that? You can't hurt me." He barred his teeth.

"This." Dean fired off a shot that struck Dominic in the shoulder. The sound of the gun shot rang in Lydia's ears.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Dominic screamed in pain. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" He clutched his shoulder as blood oozed from the wound.

"That was a silver bullet." Sam said. "Who turned you?"

"Fuck off." He started to run away but Sam unloaded a shell into his knee. He screamed again.

"Last chance." Sam said. Dean and him closed in. Only a few feet separated the three of them.

"GO TO HELL!" Right before Dean pulled the trigger Lydia screamed. Oliver let out a scream that was cut off by a horrible gurgling sound. Sam and Dean turned around to see a guy sitting getting off of Oliver. He was going for Lydia next.

He slashed at her, grazing her cheek with his sharp claws. Blood trickled down her face as she was pushed onto the ground, the guy sitting on her. He went to slice her open when another shot rang out and the guy tumbled off of her. She got up and rushed over to her brother.

Oliver was lying on the ground, blood pumping from his neck. He was making a horrid gurgling sound as he tried to stop his own bleeding. In a few minutes he would be dead.

"Ollie, Ollie, its okay. It's going to be okay." Lydia told him as she kneeled next to him. She looked over to Sam and Dean. "He's going to okay right? You can help him."

"Tea," Olliver gasped. He reached a bloody hand out for his sister's, a tear rolling down his face. "Ts oky." He managed to say before more blood pumped from the chunk missing from his throat. The guy had bitten a chunk out of his neck and was going to do the same to Lydia when Dean shot him in the head.

Lydia let tears roll down her face as she held Oliver tight. Sam and Dean knelt next to him. They both told him how brave he was and how they were sorry. Lydia told him that she loved him when his eyes began to flutter shut and the blood was only trickling out. His eyes shut and he didn't open them back up.

Lydia laid her head down on his chest and cried while Sam went to take care of the monsters.

"You killed him." Dominic gasped. "You killed Deric!" Lydia turned to him. He was sitting on the ground, a hand pressed to his knee and shoulder.

"No he didn't! You did!" She yelled at him. Her voice cracked. Dominic gave her a nasty grin.

"That's what you think, Tea." She got up quickly. There was a murderous look in her eyes.

"You don't get to call me that!" She went over to the person who killed Oliver and flipped him over. It was Deric alright. He looked so normal, well, except for the hole in his forehead.

Dean joined her. "You alright kiddo?" He asked. She was covered in her brothers blood. She had twigs in her hair and dirt on her face. She looked up at the tall man.

"No." She said simply.

"Do you have this here Sammy?" Dean asked him. Sam nodded, his gun pointed at the werewolf. "I'm gonna get Lydia outta here then." They nodded to each other.

"He killed her you know." Dominic yelled to Lydia's retreated back. She stopped. He smiled. "He killed her nice and slow. He kept her alive so she could feel it as he tore her heart from her chest." Lydia started to walk forward again. Tears were beginning to make its way down her muddy face. "He let me hold her down as she screamed yours and Oliver's name. Please don't hurt them! They're just kids!" He mocked. Lydia reared around. She ran over to him and kicked him so hard a tooth flew from his face. There was a snap sound when her foot connected with his face. She broke his nose.

Before anyone could react, she grabbed the gun from Sam's hand and pulled the trigger that was aimed at Dominic's head. The sound rang through the trees as she dropped the gun and stomped back towards Dean.

He grabbed her arm when she went to walk past him.

"Where are you going?" He asked. She turned to him and there was no emotion in her eyes. Her face was a mask for all the pain she was really in.

"I'm going home. I don't want to be here when the cops show up about the gun shots." He looked at her, a mixture of pain and pity in his green eyes.

"What about your brother?" He asked. She laughed, a heart broken, painful, laugh.

"There's nothing we could do. If we bring him back they'll ask questions. We can't have that. Just leave him here. It doesn't really matter if the birds or bears get him does it?" She wandered off again. Dean looked to his equally stunned brother and scooped up the dead boy. The two of them followed Lydia out of the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

Heat of The Moment, Heat of The Moment, Heat of The Moment Shown In Her Eyes! Lydia woke up to the sound of music playing. She didn't know where she was. She sat up in the back seat of a car, an unfamiliar car. She looked around and found two people sitting in front of her. She remembered. Her brother was dead. Her Mom was dead. She had lost all of her family in a matter of hours. She had watched both of them have a 'hunter' funeral on top of a great fire. Sam and Dean had taken her with them.

"Look who's up!" Said a horribly cheerful voice. She looked to the front passenger seat to see Sam looking at her. He was smiling in a way that said I was sorry, but she didn't want an I'm sorry. She just wanted her family back.

She gave him a halfhearted smile and turned to the window.

"Do you need me to stop? Because there's a rest stop up ahead." Dean said.

"No. Thank you." She replied without removing her eyes from the passing country side. Sam and Dean glanced at each other.

"You see anything good?" Sam asked her.

"Just pastures."

"You okay kiddo?" Dean cut right to the point. She appreciated that.

"No." She said blankly.

No one talked for an hour after that. Lydia didn't show how upset she was, but inside, inside her entire being was screaming and cursing this unfair world. She wasn't aware of anything when Dean asked her a question.

"You guys hungry?" He glanced back at Lydia who was still looking out the right window. "Lydia, kiddo?" That snapped her out of it.

"Hmm?"

"You hungry? There's a burger joint about a mile up." He repeated.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Well I'm starving." Sam said. "I wouldn't mind stretching my legs either."

"How 'bout we get you something and if you don't eat it, you don't eat it?" Dean could see how broken she was and was trying to lessen the pain as much as he could.

"Thank you." She managed a small smile, and a glance away from the window.

Within five minutes, they were pulling into the parking lot of a shabby burger shack.

"'Best pie around' huh?" Dean was looking at the menu. "I think I'll get some pie with a burger." He folded up the menu and set it on the table. Sam was sitting next to him with Lydia opposite them. She was looking out the window they sat next to while Sam was still inspecting the menu. "You see anything you want?" Dean asked her. She didn't hear him.

She was hearing the ring of deadly bullets when Dean tapped her foot. She jumped and looked away from the window.

"You see anything you want?" He managed a small smile for her. It wasn't full of pity but, understanding.

"I haven't looked." She picked up her menu and looked around. Now she thought about it, she was starving. "Can I get a milkshake, fries and a slice of pie?" She asked. Dean smiled at her. He didn't say anything, but he saw a lot of himself in her. Loss and pain, strength and courage.

"Absolutely." He kicked Sam gently. "You know what you want."

"Hi! My name is Amy and I'll be your waitress this morning!" Said an obnoxiously chipper young lady. "What kind of drinks can I start you off with?" She asked. Lydia looked her up and down. She looked like a stereotypical cheerleader: blonde, perky, twenty, in great shape, small boobs. She had her hair up in two pig tails and had on WAY too much makeup. Next to Lydia in her gray hoodie, jeans, combat boots and dirty brown hair, she looked like a delightful treat.

"Um, water." Sam said. He hadn't looked up from his menu yet.

"I'll have a beer." Dean said with a charming smile. The waitress giggled a little and looked to Lydia.

"And you sweetheart?" Lydia smiled a little. She wasn't much younger than the waitress and she was calling her sweetheart.

"Whatever he's having." She said gesturing to Dean.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two." Lydia said. She reached into her pocket and produced a professionally made fake ID. She gave it to the waitress. She handed it back to her and huffed.

"Alrighty then. Two beers and a water. I'll be right back with your drinks." She skipped away.

"You're not twenty-two." Dean told her.

"No I'm not. What are you gonna do? Tell?" She was looking back at her menu. Dean was about to tell her off when she folded up her menu. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." She inhaled deeply. "My brother and I would go to clubs for psych projects. I've never even had alcohol before." Dean nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you. How about I let you have a sip, and we get you a soda?" He smiled at her again. She didn't know why she was beginning to trust him.

"Sam, whatcha getting?" Sam looked up from his menu.

"The Cesar Salad." The waitress came back with a tray of drinks.

"Water, beer and beer. Are you guys ready to order?" Lydia looked at her again. Something was different. She had on more lipstick and she unbuttoned two of the top buttons on her shirt. You could see part of her black bra. Oh course, she thought.

"I'll have the Cesar Salad and a fruit bowl. Thanks." He handed her the menu and smiled.

"I want the cheeseburger with an extra side of fries and whatever pie is the freshest." Dean gave her the menu. He smiled at her and when he looked away, his eyes lingered on her bra for a second.

"I'll have a milkshake, a slice of pie and a side of fries." Lydia handed her the menu.

"What flavor would you like the milkshake to be?" The waitress didn't seem so perky when she talked to Lydia, which she was perfectly fine with.

"Vanilla. Thanks." She left. Dean and Sam glanced at each other as Lydia sipped on the beer and looked out the window. She thought the beer tasted good, so she kept sipping.

"Hey, I think that's enough." Dean got out of his seat to take the bottle from Lydia who was downing it like water. She only had a few gulps left when he managed to take it away. It made her feel good. It set her nerves on a numbing buzz. "You okay?"

"Mmhmm." She went back to looking out the window. Lydia didn't talk until the waitress came back with their food. She put the salad in front of Sam, the burger and fries in front of Dean and gave Lydia her fries.

"I'll be back with the rest," she said and walked off.

"She likes you." Lydia said. Dean looked away from the retreating girl to the one in front of him.

"What?" He asked.

"She likes you. You were the only one who got all of their food first, she put on a pound more lipstick, and she unbuttoned her shirt up way too much." She turned to Sam. "You too. But mainly Dean." They looked at each other and grinned.

"You sure? I thought she only liked Dean." Sam said. This was the first thing since the car that he had said to her. She smiled at him. He didn't know how to act around her and she could understand.

"No, she kept looking at you when no one was looking." She sighed. Talking hurt her heart, but it was worth the little relief she got when they responded. "How long have you guys been hunting things?" She asked.

"Since as long as I could remember." Sam answered. He was obviously the younger one, she thought.

"What was the hardest thing you've hun-"

"Here's the rest of it guys." Amy came back with another platter of food. She put Sam's fruit bowl in front of him and put Lydia's milkshake and pie in front of her. "Anything else?" She looked between Sam and Dean, completely ignoring her.

"No, thank you." Dean answered and they dug into their food. I raised my hand to get her attention.

"Another beer please." I told her. "Try and make it discreet though, my dads here don't want me to drink, but I'm not driving." She nodded and left. She smiled to herself. She loved to play with people like that. She knew that Sam and Dean were obviously not gay, but it was fun to toy with people's emotions. And right now, it got her mind off of the hurt she was feeling.

The waitress was really good at sneaking Lydia a beer when she came to clear some of the plates. It was in a cup with the label 'cider' on it. Dean and Sam had finished their food by then and she was just dipping the remainder of her fries in the milkshake. Dean had already finished his beer and the last of Lydia's.

She took a deep swig of the drink and sighed. Then another and another.

"That looks like some really good cider. What is it? Apple?" Dean asked. She nodded, shoving a milkshake fry in her mouth. She didn't notice him pick up the glass, but when he went to drink from it she made a grab from it.

"Wait!" She tried to stop him, but he took a sip. "Oops." She smiled guiltily at him.

"Really?" He put the cup down in front of him. "I think you've had enough to drink for today." Sam gave him an accusing look but didn't say anything.

Within five minutes, the waitress had come for the check and Lydia was fast asleep against Sam and Dean. She was nestled warmly between them with Dean's arm around her.

"You guys have a cute kid." Amy said, taking the check from Sam.

"Oh, she-Yeah." Dean was about to say that Lydia wasn't his kid, but stopped. He scooped up the surprisingly light Lydia and left with Sam.


	5. Chapter 5

"Should we just leave her here?" Sam asked.

"No. We should bring her inside. She was having some bad nightmares and I don't want her to wake up to no one in the car." Dean replied.

"We should carry her in then." Lydia was asleep in the Impala while Sam and Dean talked outside the car.

"I'll get her." Dean opened the left rear door and scooped up the sleeping girl. She snuggled into him as he adjusted his hold. Sam grabbed the bag Lydia had packed from the trunk and slung it over his shoulders. They locked the car and went into the bunker entrance. She woke up as Sam unlocked the door. The noise of the lock sliding had startled her and she jumped out of Dean's arms, landing hard on the ground.

"Where am I?! What's going on?!" She scrambled to her feet in a confused daze. Dean grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey! Hey, you're okay. We're at the Bunker. You're safe." Dean pulled her into a hug and she trembled slightly. When he let her go, Sam gave her a reassuring hug as well.

"Sorry." She told then when Sam let her go. They gave her warming smiles.

"It's alright. You want to come in and go back to sleep?" Sam asked her.

"No. I mean, yeah I'd love to come in." Sam lead the way into the bunker. As they descended the stairs into the main area, Lydia nudged Dean next to her.

"It's a really nice place here." She whispered to him.

"Thanks."

"Are you still hungry?" Sam called from in front of them.

"No. I'm fine thank you." Sha said just loud enough for him to hear.

"Hey Dean, how about you show her to one of the spare rooms where she can stay for now?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Dean lead Lydia to three rooms deeper in the Bunker.

"This is my room if you need me." He pointed to the one all the way on the right. "This'll be your room." He opened the door.

It was a bigger room with a half dresser, bookshelf, standing mirror, queen bed, night stand and desk. The bed was directly across from the door with the nightstand taking up the two feet between the bed and the wall. The desk was on the other side of the bed on the left. It had a rolling chair next to it and a big lamp on it. The dresser sat against the left wall. The bookshelf took up the entire bare wall the door was in. Lydia gravitated towards it. It was empty and she fought to hold back tears.

"I had a bookshelf twice this big back home." She whispered almost to nobody. "It was completely full of the best, and worst stories I had ever read." Dean put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped a little.

"Well, I saw you pack a few books. You could put them up there for now."

"For now?" Lydia turned away from the bookshelf and to the tall man.

"Well, yeah. Until we find one of your relatives to take you in. You don't want to stay here do you?"

"Yeah." She whispered. She found it hard to speak above a whisper. "I don't have any other relatives. I'm almost eighteen. I could stay here until then."

"We can't do that kiddo. Our life is dangerous. We won't always be here to prot-"

"Then train me." She argued. "I'll get good enough to hunt with you. I could help." She was speaking in a normal tone now. Dean sighed.

"I don't want this life for you. You're a young girl, this isn't a life you should have." Dean looked pain, but she didn't care.

"This life chose me. I lost everything to it. I have just as much as a right to be here as you and Sam do. It's my choice to. If you leave me, I'll just find some other hunter to train me, or maybe I'll die trying. You couldn't stop me if you tried." She thought about seeing her brother again and it made her sadder.

"Actually I can. I could have Cas wipe your memory and just put you in the system. Then you'd be safe and out of this life." A tear ran down her face. She didn't know who Cas was, but she didn't want him to wipe her memory.

"You can't, you can't. You can't do that." She whispered. "That's not fair." She took a step backwards towards the door.

"DEAN! CAS IS HERE!" Yelled Sam from somewhere in the bunker. Lydia snapped. She darted from the room, making her way back towards the bunker entrance. She wrenched the door open and ran outside into the pouring rain. She barely made it to the Impala when someone grabbed her elbow and brought her to a full stop.

She turned around to see a tall man in a tan trench coat latched to her elbow. His face wasn't human.

"GET OFF OF ME!" She kicked his knee and when he let go of her for a second, she ran. She ran and ran and ran until she couldn't breath and the stitch in her side was unbearable. She collapsed in a patch of long, soaked grass and struggled to get a full breath of air. Within a minute, she could hear the rumble of a familiar car.

She stayed there in the tall grass as the car sound grew louder, and louder then steadily quiet. She didn't move until she had caught her breath and she couldn't hear the car anymore. Standing up and looking about her, she wipes the soaked hair away from her face.

She set off again but only made it a few steps when she heard a rain muffled footstep. When she turned around, the man in the tan trench coat was there again. She tried to run away from the terrifying man, but he caught her and threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing.

"Let go of me!" She yelled as she kicked at him and tried to get away. She struggled, but his grip was like iron. "Please don't hurt me! I don't have anything to give you!"

"Quiet down. I am not going to hurt you." He said in a gravelly voice. "I'm only returning you." We began to walk away, but Lydia wouldn't have that. She wasn't about to be kidnapped after all that had happened. A phone rang inside one of the man's pockets. When he answered it, she began to scream like her life depended on it, and according to her it was.

"Hello? Yes, I have her. I don't know. As far as I know she's fine, but she won't stop screa-UGH!" Lydia managed to kick him in the face. The man dropped her and she went to run again. He caught her and scooped her up and put her over his shoulder again. "I'm sorry, what? No she kicked me, I was grabbing ahold of her again. Wha-okay." He caught Lydia by surprise when he put the phone to her ear.

"Lydia? Lydia!" It was Dean's voice. She stopped struggling.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, it's me. Hey, Cas is bringing you back, okay? He's not gonna hurt you. I promise." She gasped.

"Nooooo!" She started to flail again. "I don't want my memory wiped! Please!"

"LYDIA!" Dean yelled into the phone. "We aren't gonna wipe your memory." She stopped again and sniffled into the wet phone.

"Really?"

"Really. I need to talk to Cas now. You okay?" He asked her.

"Mmhmm." Cas put the phone to his ear.

"Okay. I will see you in a while." He hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He put Lydia on the ground. "The Bunker's this way." He said and walked off. She followed.

They walked together, with Cas leading, for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." Lydia whispered to him. She was barely audible to herself over the pouring rain, but he heard her.

"It's okay. I could tell you were scared." They continued walking.

"Are you going to wipe my memory?" She asked.

"No." She walked up next to him so that they were walking parallel together. They walked this way until they got to the Bunker.

Dean was waiting in the doorway with two towels. When they reached him, Dean gave Cas a towel as he went inside, then he wrapped one around her. When she looked at his face, she could see that he was worried.

"What were you thinking?" He asked, rubbing the towel on her shoulders and hair.

"I don't know." She squeaked. "I'm sorry." Dean sighed.

"It's okay." He hugged her and soaked his shirt in the process. "I shouldn't have told you I was gonna wipe your memory. That isn't my place, and you should keep your good memories. I just didn't want you to get hurt." He kissed the top of her wet head lightly. "How about you come in and dry off." He said as he lead her inside.

Sam and Cas were talking in the kitchen when Dean and Lydia got there.

"Hey." Sam said.

"How about you go dry off, get that stank off you. Then you can come back here and eat something."

"Okay."

"Can you find your way? Or do you need me to show you?" He asked her.

"I've got it." She started to walk off.

"The bathroom's the room in between yours and mine." Dean called after her.

"Thank you." She said and headed to the bathroom.

She showered and got dressed in her other outfit.

"You look better." Dean said as she re-entered the kitchen.

"Thank you." She stood awkwardly off to the side.

"I've got a grilled cheese for you if you want it." Dean offered.

"Come sit next to me." Sam prompted, tapping the seat next to him at the counter. Dean put the plate down at that spot. She smiled and sat down in between Sam and Cas. She started nibbling at the sandwich, looking at Cas's face. There were two layers of face. A human one, and a, non-human one. She had seen people like this before. People with a human face and wither a horrid, or beautiful second face. She didn't realize Cas looking at her.

"What happened to your head?" He asked her. She reached up and touched the tender lump on her forehead. It was almost an inch off of her head and it was a deep purple.

"I, um. I ran into a tree." She answered. She really didn't want to talk about it.

"Why would you do that?" He asked. Sam and Dean were either reading a newspaper or cleaning the grilled cheese pans. They couldn't rescue her.

"I didn't mean to." Her voice was just above a whisper. "I was, um. I was playing a game with my, with my brother and I ran into it." She rushed out the last few words and shoved a huge piece of sandwich into her mouth. Her heart was beginning to ache from the effort to not cry, but a tear escaped her hold.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" She knew he wasn't intending to be mean, but it felt like torture. Another tear fell, then another.

"I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." She hastily wiped away the tears from her face.

"No you're not. What's wrong?" Sam saw Lydia's face and told Cas off.

"Hey, Cas. Don't." He told him. Lydia was now crying silently, trying to wipe away the tears as soon as they came. "It's okay." He told her and pulled her into a hug. Cas got up to ask Dean what was wrong with her and Dean joined in on the massive hug.

"What's wrong?" Cas asked again.

"Her mother and brother died in the past two days from a pair of werewolves that she happened to know and was friends with." Dean told him. Cas backed off then. "You're alright." Dean told her.

"No I'm not." She said through the mass of huge arms. "I just lost my entire family, and now the only people I even feel safe with are gonna send me away to live with strangers somewhere." They let go of her.

"We're not gonna send you away." Sam told her. "Dean and I were talking, and you're practically an adult." He looked at Dean for conformation. "We think it'd be nice to have you around. But you'll have to train every day." He added.

"Every day." Dean repeated. "And you won't be allowed on hunts until we say so." He was looking her up and down as if wondering where to start with her training.

Lydia was beginning to tear up again as she looked between the boys. "Thank you." She choked. "Thank you so much." Sam and Dean hugged her one more time before getting up.

"We'll start tomorrow, okay?" Dean asked her. She nodded and took a big bite of her tear soaked grilled cheese.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hold still!" Sam told her. "I know it hurts, but there's something in there I can't get." He had a pair of tweezers trying to get a piece of wood out of Lydia's foot.

"I am." They were sitting in the garage where her and Sam were practicing some self-defense on a padded wooden dummy. Dean came into the room then in a bathrobe. He had a cup of coffee in his hand.

"What's wrong?" He asked, kneeling down next to Sam.

"I can't get this piece of wood out of her foot." He told him. Lydia grabbed the tweezers from him and dug them into the wound. She winced when she brought out the large chunk of wood.

"There." She said through gritted teeth. The wound started bleeding. "Do you have any band-aids?" She asked them.

"No." Sam said.

"Do you have duct tape, a clean washcloth, and some peroxide?"

"We do have those." Sam told her. "I'll go get them."

Sam got her them and she made a makeshift bandage. She shivered. The garage was a chilly place.

"It's cold in here." She told them.

"Yeah, it doesn't come above sixty in here normally." Dean said.

"I'm gonna go get a sweatshirt then." She said and walked of towards her room. When she opened the door, she was met with a sudden cold spot. Her breath fogged in front of her face, and the standing mirror started to grow ice around the edges. She grabbed her sweatshirt and ran out of the room.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked her when she got back. She was frowning.

"Is there a vent in my room?" She asked.

"No. Why?"

"It was really cold in there. The mirror even started to freeze." Sam and Dean looked at each other.

"Stay here." Dean told her, and he ran off towards her room. Sam stayed with her.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Maybe nothing." Dean yelled for Sam and he took off, leaving Lydia there alone. There was a crash sound and some yelling, but she stayed put.

There hadn't been any noise in the bunker for a minute when she heard her voice. "Honey?" Lydia turned around in the cold garage.

"Mom?" Her voice cracked as she said that beautiful word. Her mother was standing in front of her. She had on the last outfit she had seen her in, a nurse's uniform. But it was covered in blood, and there was a hole in her chest. Her makeup was smudged around her face, and there were twigs in her hair.

"Oh, honey." She called with her arms outstretched. "What have they done to you?" She asked. She was looking at Lydia as if she had broken all of the bones in her body.

"Nothing." There were some muffled voices somewhere in the bunker.

"Lydia?!" Called who she thought was Dean. "LYDIA!" She couldn't really hear him from her awed state.

"I saw your dead body. How are you here right now?" She asked. The door opened to the garage and both Dean and Sam came in.

"Lydia get away from that." Sam said. That? She thought.

"But-"

"No but's. She'll hurt you!" Sam reached out a hand for her to join him, but she protested.

"No she won't. She's my mom." She inched closer to the figure of her mom.

"She's not your mom anymore kiddo. She's a ghost. Remember me telling you about them?" Dean intervened. Lydia hadn't realized until now, but he had blood running down his face, and Sam was holding his left shoulder like he dislocated it.

"Ghost." She turned around to her bloody mother. "You're dead." She whispered. Lydia backed up to Sam and Dean.

"Honey, where are you going?" Asked the ghost. Sam and Dean stepped in between her and the ghost.

"Do you have something of your mom's?" Sam asked her.

"I have, I have her necklace. Why?"

"Did she ever bleed on it?" Dean asked. They didn't look away from the ghost as they talked.

"Um, I think it cut her hand when she was fixing the clasp." Lydia was clutching the leather string around her neck. "Why?"

"Give it here." Dean reached behind him.

"What are you gonna do to it?" She asked when she put it in his hands.

"Burn it." Lydia gasped.

"Give it back!" She tried to get back the precious necklace, but Dean held it tight.

"No Lydia." He tossed it to Sam and he grabbed hold of her. "If that necklace doesn't get burned, the ghost will stay." Just then Sam yelled. They turned to see him swinging a long piece of metal at the ghost.

The ghost threw him against the wall and he was knocked unconscious.

"Get out of here!" Dean told her as he rushed to fight off the ghost. She back up to the doorway but didn't leave. Dean grabbed the necklace and the piece of metal Sam had. He swung at the ghost, dissipating the apparition. He took out a lighter and started to burn the leather, but the ghost appeared behind him and threw him forward.

"Dean!" Lydia called. The ghost smashed Dean's head off of the ground. The ghost bent down over the unconscious Dean. It rounded on Lydia who had picked up the chard necklace.

"What are you doing honey?" She asked in her motherly voice. "Don't you want me to stay?" She walked over to her daughter.

"Yes." She lit the necklace on fire and watched her mother's ghost go up in a blaze. Her heart broke into a billion tiny pieces that she feared would never become whole. She stood there for a moment after her mother screamed herself into oblivion. She watched the spot her mother had just stood and cried silently.

She moved only when she heard Sam groan behind her. She rushed over to him and helped him up.

"Where is it?" He asked. He looked around for the ghost but found Dean instead. "Dean!" He crouched over his brother. "What happened?"

"My mo-The ghost slammed him off the ground." There were tears sliding down her face. "Will he be alright?"

"I don't know. Don't look." He rolled Dean onto his side as he looked at his head. There was a small puddle of blood where his head was. "It's not broken thank god."

"So he'll be fine?" She asked again. Dean groaned and fluttered his eyes open.

"What happened?" He asked as he sat up rubbing the back of his head.

"What did happen?" Sam asked, turning to Lydia.

"I, um. Dean said we needed to burn this to get rid of her, so I, so I, um." She held up the slightly melted cross.

"Oh, kiddo. Come here." Dean pulled the weeping Lydia into a big hug. "I'm so sorry." Sam joined in on the hug.


	7. Chapter 7

"Lydia." Called a soothing voice. She didn't know where it was coming from. The golden eyed monster on top of her didn't have that voice. "Lydia, get up." Her own mouth was open, but no words came out, only screams. "Kiddo, wake up!"

Lydia opened her eyes to darkness. There was a dark figure that stood over her lying in bed. It moved closer to her, reaching a hand out for her. She sat bolt upright and backed away.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed as she scooched away from the figure. It sat down on the bed and tried to grab her. She kicked out at it. "NO! GET AWAY!" She backed up too far and fell off the right side of the bed, smacking her shoulder off of the wall.

"Lydia!" The figure ran around the bed and scooped her up. It placed her on top of the covers. "Are you okay?"

"Dean?" She couldn't make out his face, but she recognized the voice.

"Yeah. Are you okay? How hard did you hit your head?" He was feeling around her head to find any blood spots.

"I didn't. It was my shoulder."

Satisfied with the lack of blood her pulled her into a hug. "You were screaming. Did you have a nightmare?" He asked.

"Um, yeah." She was really shaken up from the disturbing dream she had.

"You wanna tell me about it?" He asked. She nodded and he let her go.

"Oliver my Mom and I, we were being chased through the woods by Deric and Dominic. They killed them both. But then Mom got back up and tried to kill me." She sniffled. "You and Sam came to help, but she killed Sam, then Deric, Deric killed you, and, and then he came after me, I ran," she was breathing rapidly. "but I tripped and hit my head and he tried to eat me!" She began to cry.

Dean pulled her back into his shirt. It smelled good, she decided. Within a few minutes of Dean rubbing her back, she had calmed down and fallen asleep leaning against him.

When Lydia woke up again, it was still dark, but Dean wasn't there. She was curled up on top of the covers in the middle of the bed. She got out of bed and let her bare feet smack the cool stone floor. She had been wearing the same outfit for three days. Sam and Dean promised to take her out to get some new clothes.

The hallway was dark as she made her way to the kitchen. She could smell pancakes being made, and she desperately wanted some. When she walked in, she instantly regretted it. The bright light of the kitchen made her head throb. She had a massive head ache she wasn't aware she had. As soon as she had walked into the room, she backed out into the hall.

"There she is-where'd she go?" She heard Sam say when she had entered and exited the room. She could hear footsteps closing in on her. When the owner of the footsteps found her, she was sitting on the ground up against the wall.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked her.

"Nothing. The lights are just bothering me."

"You want some water? Maybe that'll help." He offered.

"I'd appreciate that." She had her hands clamped over her eyes. Another pair of footsteps approached them and she heard San's voice.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"The lights are giving her a head ache." Dean told him. "You want to get her an Advil and a glass of water, and I'll bring her back to her room?"

"Sounds good." A pair of footsteps retreated.

"Hey," Dean grabbed her arm. "You want to go back to your room?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." She stood up and let Dean guide her back to her room. She laid down on the bed against Dean who had sat down next to her and almost instantly fell back asleep.

"Lydia wake up!" Dean was sitting next to Lydia trying to shake her awake. She opened her eyes and closed her open mouth. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she looked around the dim room. She had had another nightmare. She still had a headache and she told him so. "How about you come with me to the library. There's a couch in there you can curl up in so we can watch you."

"I'm actually really hungry, and I don't want to sleep anymore." She made a move to get up but he stopped her.

"Wait here a minute." He pulled out his phone and texted something. "Sam's coming with something that should help with the head ache." Within two minutes, Sam was in the room with a glass of water and two pills. She happily took them and followed them to the kitchen.

The light didn't really affect her, so she ate some refrigerated pancakes in peace. When she was finished, Sam offered to play some cards with her. She happily agreed so he went to get a deck. She heard the sound of a heavy door open somewhere.

"Sound like Cas's here." Dean said and he left the room. She didn't like being alone. After Deric and Dominic, and then her Mom, being alone gave her a small panic attack. The longer Sam took coming back, the more panicked she became. But the panic faded when Dean reentered the room with Cas.

"Hi." She greeted. She still wasn't used to his face.

"Hello." He greeted back.

"Cas is here about a case. Are you okay if I don't play?" Dean asked me.

"Yeah. What's the case?" She asked him.

"Um, we're hunting a Nephilim." He answered. Since he didn't elaborate on the subject, she didn't press it, even though she had no idea what a Nephilim was. They left the room and the panic returned. Sam didn't come back for a while, and when he did, she audibly sighed.

"So, what do you want to play?" He asked as he sat with her at the counter?" She didn't know many card games.

"Could you teach me some?" She asked.

"Sure." He began shuffling. "Where's Dean?"

"Cas got here so they went to work on a case." She watched him shuffle the cards.

"Did they say what case?"

"Um, something about a Nef-ee-lum. I think I said it right." He inhaled sharply.

"I can't play cards right now. This case is really important. Can we play later?" He asked as he put the deck down.

"Um, sure." He stood up and ruffled her hair.

"Thank you." He went to leave, and the panic took hold of her.

"Do you mind if I come along?" She asked, not wanting to be alone.

"I don't see why not." The two of them walked over to the library where Cas and Dean were talking.

"Lydia said you were working on the Nephilim case." Sam said as they entered the room.

"Yeah, Cas has a new-what's she doing here?" Dean asked as he saw Lydia enter behind Sam.

"She wanted to join us. Why? Is that bad?" He sat down at the table they were standing around.

"I don't see why she needs to be here, listening to this."

"Two days ago, she killed a ghost. Her Mother's ghost!" Sam defended. Dean sighed.

"I guess you're right. But I don't think she should hear this stuff."

"The child killed a ghost?" Interjected Cas.

"Yeah. But she's been having bad dreams ever since." Dean argued. Lydia lingered in the doorway, unsure what to do.

"So, what do we have?" Sam asked.

"An Angel saw Kelly outside a diner two days ago. She was accompanied by Dagon." Informed Cas.

"Was she still pregnant?" Sam continued.

"Yes."

"Anything else? I mean, is she still there?"

"No one knows."

"That's it?" Dean asked.

"Yes." Cas answered.

"Great! We have a location she was at two days ago! Not a current location, or even a location she will be at! I need a drink." Dean got up and riffled through a nearby cabinet.

Lydia felt uncomfortable there, so she walked over to the book cases and looked through them. The titles of the books were strange. Myths vs the truth: Big Foot, How to kill a Witch! Ten easy steps, Dead-man's blood to vervain: Every ingredient for potions and where to find them. Lydia looked through a bunch of shelves. She ended up deep in the library where she could only barely hear the boys. She stopped at a book that was sealed in a box.

The cover of the book said cursed. "Cursed what?" She whispered to herself. The labeling was smudged, so she assumed that some of the title was missing. She took the book box down and set it on a nearby table. She could hear the clinking of glass back where the boys were. The lid to the box was on tight, so she had to pry it open. Once it was open, she picked up the book to admire it. The book was small and faded. It must have been very old, because the leather covering was peeling away.

When opened the book she began to feel very tired. As she leafed through the pages she noticed something strange. It was empty. There were no words on the pages. She began to sway on the spot due to her failing consciousness. Her eyes closed as she pitched to the side, hitting the bookcase. There was a large bang as the whole shelf of books fell off the case and onto the unconscious girl. The little black book she was holding lay beside her.

"Lydia?" Dean called. When there was no answer, he tried again. "Lydia?" He got out of his chair and walked through the maze of bookshelves to find her. When he found her, he placed the glass of amber liquid he had on a nearby table and rushed to remove the books from on top of her. "Sam! Cas!" He called.

Cas and Sam showed up and immediately helped removed the self of books from on top of her. "What happened?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Dean told them. "I found her like this."

"Dean. I think I found out what happened." Sam stood up and picked up the empty box on the table. "She opened a cursed object box." He showed them the box.

"Where's the object?" Dean asked as he looked about the pile of strewn books.

"Here." Cas said and he picked up the small book. Cas put the book back in the box and closed the lid. "I don't know if I can heal her from this." He informed them. "I have trouble with witch's curses." Dean removed the last book from on top of her. She had paper cuts on her arms and face, and she had small bruises starting where the corners of books hit her.

"Who can then?" He asked as he removed a strand of hair from her face.

"Maybe another witch." Sam suggested. "We could call Rowena." Dean rounded on him.

"We are not calling Rowena." Dean told them.

"Who can we call then?" He argued. Dean let out a sigh. He really didn't want Rowena anywhere near Lydia.

"Fine. Call her." He scooped up the unconscious girl and headed to her room. He placed her on her bed and covered her in the comforter and sheets. "You're gonna be alright." He told her. He pulled the desk chair over to her bed.

Sam came in a few minutes later to see Dean in the chair, with his eyes closed. "Um, hey." He started. Dean opened his eyes. "She said she'll be here in an hour." He told him.

"Okay." He sighed deeply. "I don't like this Sammy." He said. "She's been through enough already."

"I know.


	8. Chapter 8

"Dean? Dean wake up." Sam was gently shaking Dean to wake him up. He had fallen asleep in the chair with his head on Lydia's bed. He sat up and rubbed the crust from his eyes. "Rowena's here." He stood up.

"Where is she?"

"Right here." She was standing in the doorway.

"So, can you help her?" Dean asked. He still didn't trust her helping Lydia.

"Well I won't know until you let me examine her and the book." She told them.

"Yeah, I'll go get it." Sam left the room to retrieve the book.

"So. Who is she?" Rowena asked Dean. "Why is this one so special?" She took a few steps into the room.

"She's not, I mean. She lost her family is all. Sam and I were just looking after her."

"Oh sure you were." Dean scowled.

"You know what Rowena-"

"Alright, I've got it." Sam said as he came into the room. She smiled at him.

"I'll need some privacy while I work." She said.

"The Hell you do." Dean protested.

"Unless you want to see me examine her for any marks the curse may have left, I would give me a few minutes to work."

"Fine." Him and Sam left the room and closed the door behind them. They waited out in the hall for a few minutes, then Rowena came out.

"As far as I can tell, she has the Sleeping Beauty Curse. It's the same one that put dear old Aurora to sleep. The only thing though, is that it isn't broken by true loves kiss. I don't have all of the ingredients." She told them.

"What do you need?" Sam asked.

"I need the hair of one of her parents, and the blood of something she loves."

"We can't get any of those ingredients." Dean told her. "Her Mom and Brother are dead, and she never knew her dad."

"Well, if you want your little girl here to wake up, I need the ingredients." Rowena argued. "I can't do the spell without the ingredients." Cas joined them.

"I can look for the father while you get the blood." He offered.

"Thank you, Cas." Dean said, and he left. "But we don't know what she loves."

"Well, I hope you two can figure it out." Rowena went to leave, but Dean stopped her.

"She won't, die, will she? If she stays sleeping like this." Dean asked.

"No. The spell keeps her preserved until she wakes. But she is most likely having terrible nightmares. It is a curse after all." She left and Sam followed her.

Dean opened the door to Lydia's room. The room now smelled like burnt sage and peppermint oil. He looked at the seventeen-year-old. She was very pale, as if she had no life in her, but Dean could see her chest rise and fall at an alarmingly slow rate.

He sat back in the chair, letting out a deep sigh, when a voice came from his right.

"My my, Dean. Don't you think she's a little young for you?" Dean turned to see Crowley standing in the doorway.

"Crowley." He snarled. "What do you want?"

"Oh, not much. I just popped in to see why my mother was here." He took a step into the room.

"Don't you come any closer." Dean told him, getting out of the chair. "Rowena is only here to lift a curse. You can have her when we're done." Crowley caught a glimpse of Lydia. He took another step into the room and started analyzing the sleeping girl behind Dean, and Dean didn't like it.

"Did you know that your little doll here reeks of Demons?"

"Excuse me?" Dean wasn't sure he believed him. "Demons?"

"Well, Demon. She reeks of one Demon. A certain one I happen to have a bone to pick with." He looked away from Lydia. "I think your little pet here can help me get to her." He smiled slyly. "I can help you know. Lift the curse. If you'll just let me borrow her for a few day-" Dean stepped in between him and Lydia.

"No." He aimed a murderous stare at Crowley. "You stay away from her." Crowley held up his hands."

"Whatever you say." He dropped his hands. "So, where is my Mother? I have something I need to," He paused. "Give her." Dean didn't like what he was hearing but he couldn't think of any other way for him to leave this room.

"Fine." He followed Crowley out of the room and into the hall. He closed the door and when he turned around, Crowley wasn't there. He ran down the hall and back to the door. "CROWLEY!" He yelled. No answer. He tried to open the door, but the handle didn't budge. He tugged on it again. Then he shouldered it. Nothing. "SAAAM!" He yelled.

Before Sam could get to him, Dean kicked a hole in the door and wedged inside. He got in just I time to see Crowley vanish with Lydia. "NOOOOO!" He ran to where she was just a second ago.

"What, what's," Sam got there. "What happened?" He turned the handle and the door opened. He found Dean kneeling next to Lydia's bed.

"Crowley." He said.

"Crowley? He was here?" Sam looked around the room. "Where's Lydia?"

"Crowley." Dean said again.


End file.
